The invention relates to a process for producing a tubular component which comprises sections which are intentionally different from one another with regard to one or more aspects selected from the group consisting of aspects including material, thickness, size, more specifically circumference or diameter, and the like, and hydroforming of the component.
A known method for (de)forming tubular components is the method known as hydroforming. In this method, the wall of a section of pipe is pressed against a shaped part or die under the influence of, for example, water pressure. The hydroforming technique is generally known and therefore requires no further explanation here. If the section of pipe is also to be bent, a bending action is carried out prior to and separately from the hydroforming, the bent section of pipe then being provided with the ultimately desired shape by hydroforming. In this way, it is possible to make numerous very complicated shapes which are used in engineering, for example in the automotive industry.
Furthermore, it is known that it is possible to make the component to be hydroformed particularly suitable for certain applications by making the component not from a section of pipe of uniform cross section and wall thickness, but rather assembling the section of pipe from various pipe elements which adjoin one another, are to be welded to one another and have, for example, wall thicknesses which (locally) differ from one another and/or a change in diameter. Pipe sections of this pipe are also known as “tailored tubular blanks”.